Fitness maven and author Jonathan Bailor said eating well doesn't have to cost a fortune. In an exclusive interview, Bailor revealed why investing in whole, organic foods is a cost-effective way to ensure optimal health and natural weight loss.

"Eating nutritious, whole foods is actually less expensive than eating processed junk," said Bailor. "When you think of 'expensive,' think about how buying quality food for your family is like buying quality breaks for your family car."

Jonathan recently partnered with Quest Nutrition (maker of the No. 1 protein bar) to launch a free educational Web health and fitness series based on his New York Times bestseller, The Calorie Myth.

The six-part weekly series offers weight loss, diet and workout tips to help you look and feel your best. The first episode aired June 22 (see above video).

Bailor said his Web series is an attempt to counteract some of the false and unhealthy marketing propaganda put forth by Big Food, which spends hundreds of millions of dollars every year to peddle "edible food products" that have no redeeming nutritional value.

Being Sick Is A Lot More Expensive Than Being Healthy

The problem with processed junk food is they're loaded with low-quality fillers that ultimately leave you feeling hungry, therefore causing to eat more, Jonathan explained. From a cost perspective, this means you'll end up spending more money because nutritionally deficient food doesn't give you what you need to thrive.

A bad diet will also cost you a lot more in the long haul, since they often lead to degenerative illnesses such as diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, Alzheimer's or cancer. Treating these ailments requires expensive drugs, multiple doctors visits and oftentimes, hospitalization. Being sick costs a lot more than being healthy.

On the forthcoming June 29 episode (“A Calorie is a Calorie”), Bailor reveals why our obsession with calorie-counting is making us fat and sick, and discusses why calorie quality is more important than calorie quantity for weight loss and health.

Jonathan, who also wrote The Smarter Science of Slim Workbook, has helped hundreds of overweight people lose thousands of pounds and get in the best shape of their lives. He is thrilled to share his expertise for free with a Web audience, who can conveniently view the five-minute videos on their computers or mobile devices.

Bailor, who has a decade of experience in nutrition-science research, has been endorsed by top doctors and researchers from Harvard, Johns Hopkins and UCLA.

You can see "The Quest to End the Calorie Myth" on YouTube. Episode 2 airs Sunday, June 29, at 11am PST/1pm EST.

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Samantha Chang is the co-owner of www.theimproper.com., an arts and entertainment website in New York City. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Samantha enjoys running, cycling and taking photos. Contact her at schang@theImproper.com.